Faucet water softener



June 6, 1933. v, F. LAMELA ETAL 1,912,943

FAUCET WATER soFTENER Filed Oct. 25, 1932 2z? ze@ afp/10M Vincen'lELanwl,

Eric .P WS

. Patented .June 6,1933

UNITED STA-'rss ini'alrry "ori-'ics vrncimrn or rumori, imw innen.' imicrrcx, or m man. ufr.,

This invention relatesto faucet water sofn teners, and it comprisesan apparatus adapted for "either permanent or temporary attach- U `aluminum alloyed with lpercent silicon is particularly.- advanta ment to water faucets of ordina it pe where- 5 in abed or body o fjti htl' pac e granular y.

isv e ina container base exchange materia l casing between foraminous *watery distributing elements at top and bottom of the bed and the container has a detachable bottom chain- 1 ber casing and a top chamber casing integral with the. container, the bottom chamber casf y ing being adapted to `support one ofr said foraminous elements andthe vtop chamberl means for holding -down the i i casing `hav-in other of said e ements, the bottom and top casi in bein provided with laterally extending. in et' an outletmeans for water, the inlet" Y means beingl adapted-for connection to the water faucet, and the bottom and top casings being provided withfclosable. openings for introduction anddischarge 'of regenerating forth and as claimed.V t p softening water by base exchange is a well i known art which has reached a high stage of development by way of klarge sca e ap aratos. A numberfof small scale porta le I' i `water softeners have been proposed for use in connection with single water faucets in the n `household kitchen or bathroom or laundry 'but these leave much to be desiredin convenience and effectiveness.`

In the present invention weprovide what maybe termed a faucet water softenerin the t sense that it may be attached and connected temporarily or ermanently, if desired, to the ordinary house old-,water faucet, the softener functionii to deliver softened water in a stream `as rom a faucet and regeneration be- 40 ing readily `accomplishedfwithout detachment inous elements adapted to distribute water nucivriwam sommen. l y .lppllcattoiil'ileilA October il; 419.83.l lerial'llo. Y

with means for giving substantie ly rigid the water connection is made. t For re maar, assmiron's 'ro t, evenly through the The cvntainef sidi i Y vantageously made of metal, Wehave found that. a container made as'a 4die `castingof.. i

castinglmay'be a straightfwalled c linder or be slig p tly-tapered inwardlytowar thetop. The container may be a diecasting with a top L chamber having a ca singcast integrally as artof the container casing, the topi casing .I i

ing formed with internal ribs for holding the upper screen against displacement. i The bottom portionof the container is made de tachable [and the lower screen is supported by a spider and rin which may be threaded for 'Il screwing into te container cylinder, there being abottom closure' member detachabl connected to the spider and held thereby, this forming the casin for a chamber below the lower screen and aving a water ti ht con- 7 nection with the casing cylinder. t th the top casing and the bottom closure member have lateral extensions providing fluid inlet .or outlet meansin the top and bottom chambers, one of` these lateral extensions `being Il adapted for connection onl its up r side to. a water faucet and the othery later .extension having a ls out or downward projection adapted .to water downwardly. V eral extension is provided with the inlet com nection to the faucet the softener is adapted for softening by vupwardtlow; when .the iii-- let connection is through the lateral extension .on thetop chamber, softening is b down-V I ward flow through the tightly pack l granular zeolite l The container is rovided attachment toA the water faucet with which neration without disconnection from the aucet, the top casing and the bottom closure member of the softener container are provided with closable openings. These closable opeiiin threaded holes with screw plugs which may be made of non-corrodible material such as hard rubber, or the material known under the trade name of Bakelite. Advantageously, the closable opening thetop casing 1s at the bot;A 1U l us The j container rect an outilowing stream'of `When the bottom -lat- 00" may take the form; of '95 tom of a funnel-shaped depression formed in the top casing. These openings permit the pouring of sa t solution into the container to pass ,through the zeolite bed.

As stated ante, the bed of water softening material is packed tightly between the screens, which are held y the .container at top and bottom of the bed. This permits u niform distribution of the Water asslng l through the bed and prevents undue e anneling; the capacity of the softener between regwenerations` being thereby materlally 1ncreased. Channeling through aI water softening bed has usually been prevented by leaving a free space above the bed to permit movement andclassifcation of the granules. We have found that in a bed of small dimensions, such as we have in our faucet water softener, the softening action of line anules of Vzeolite 90 1s more effective 'in a tig tly packed bed zeolite' from th locked at top and bottom foraminous elements. t

In assembling' the softener of the present invention the zeolite is introduced through the bottom of the casing and is packed well upon the top screen which is supported by the spider arrangement of the top chamber casing. Then the bottom screen is inserted and the threaded spider is screwed into the container to hold the bottom screen. Finally the bottom closure member is put on and attached to the spider as by means of a lag screw bolt. The softener is then ready for attachment and connection to a water faucet. In most cases the mechanical wear -upon the zeolite in water softening is slight and a bed may last for an indefinitely long time without requiring renewal. However, in the case of a locked bed, suspended matter carried by the water will gradually penetrate into the bed. When a substantial lamount of impurities hasbeen accumulated in this manner it will, to some extent, interfere vwith pro r functioning of the apparatus. This con ition canv be remedied by removing the e container, washing it and it into the container. Such proowever, is cumbersome and, the

by screens or other repackin cedure,

`quantity of zeolite involved being relatively to provide a new bed consmall, we prefer` tained in a metallic cartridge with fne screens partl Ifig. 1 isa view in'vertical Section,

a faucet water softener suc in elevation, of

. geously screwed into Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the softener of Fi 1; and

ig. 3 is a view in elevation partly broken away and showing parts in section of a softener containing a cartridge refill.

Referring to the figures, a container casing 1 of cast metal section encloses a softenin 4chamber 2 containing a packed bed 3- o granular water softening zeoliteor -other granular base eX- change-material. At the top and bottom of this packed bed or body are layers 4 and 5 of zeolite of coarser main body. Above are wire screens 6 and 7 which lite bed and prevent movement thereof. As shown, the top Screen 6 is held against a shoulder 8 formed in the container casing. Above the upper screen 6 is a chamber 9 enclosed in extending from the members 12 to the side walls of the top casing. These members and ribs together with shoulder 8 form a spider serving to hold screen 6 against. upward bulging movement. The lower portion of funnel 11 is provided with a lthreaded opening closed by a gasket 14a and a screw plug '14, which is advantageously made of a non-corrodible compo'- sition such as that known underthe trade name of Bakelite, 'The top chamber l9 is provided with a water outlet 15 which exand of circular crossY tends laterally downward from near the top of casing 10.

The bottom screen 7 is supported by a s ider 16 having ribs 17 and aring 18 threadled into the casing 1. A bottom closure member 19 is held in watertight enga ement 'with the bottom edge of the casing l y lag screw 21 screwed into `spider 16 with an interposed gasket 20 between member 19 and casing 1. A gasket 21a prevents leakage around the screw.

In the side of theclosure member-19 is a threaded opening closed by a gasket 22a and a screw plug 22 made of non-corrodible material. The plugs 14 and 22 are advantabrass inserts 146 and 226 respectively. These inserts, knurled ori the outside and threaded on the inside, are placed in the casting mould and the melted metal is poured around them so that the metal interlocks with the knurling, making the in'- sert and the casting, integral. The bottom yclosure member encloses a chamber 23 and is formed with a lateral extension `24 with an enclosed passage 25 to chamber 23. It is advantageous to have passage 25 smaller in extension 24 is al rubber reinforcing ribs 27 and a central aperture outlet'15. `Fitted in the over the mouth of a water faucet. The rub- `posed betweenthe cartridge and shoulder 8 ber member is .held in `place by `a. cap 29 Vand the cartridge is heldin place by spider screwedupoiithe lateral extension 24aV `The 16 with its ring Y18 screwed into casing 1.

arrangement servesto make a watertight con- While we have described our invention in 5 nection withan ordinary water faucet. The connection with its particular use for water 7 bottom closure memberis provided with pins .softening it is apparent that it may also be 3 0. In connection withthese pins a chainf31 usedfor other purposes such as water filtraserves for attachment of the softener .to the tion.l `For such usethecasing 1 or the carwater' faucet with `which water connection is .tridge 36 `is filled with a filtering material made'throu h rubber `member 26.' such as sand or activated carbon. The main u In assem ling the softener the casing is body of the filtering .material may be fine held upside-down `with, the ,bottom closure with layers at the top andbottom of'coarse and spider removed and the screen 6 `is 111-' ,materialj. In some casesit may be advanserted andcplaced against shoulder 8 and the tageous to fill the casing `-1 or the cartridge" holding `members`.12. Then the `layerd of 36 with a layer of zeolite and a layer of acrelatively coarse ained zeolite is laced ltivated carbon. `It is to be noted that when` upon screen 6 'an finer grained meo ite 1S the activity `of the activated carbon layers packed tightly into the container. The packis spent, this activ'ty of the carbon may be ing can be done in various ways. The zeoresto'red .and the filter sterilized by removlite can be put in in small portions and each ing the plugs 14 and 22 and curing throng 'u portion tamped down by a wooden slug or -a solution of sodium hypoch orite. the like. Or the zeolite may be place in the Wha-t we claim is container and shaken down and forced down 1. A portable water softener adapted for by a late screwed d'own by the spider. rAfter attachment and connection Yto a water faucet the finer zeolite has been packed down the and comprising a softening chamber concoarse layer- 5 is put in and then screen `7 1S taining a body of packed granules of base exsecured by screwing inthe spider. The botchange material, two foraminous water distom closure member is thenjattached by screwtributi'ng elements holding/said body at top ing in lag screw 21 and the softener sthon andr bottom, two members hpldng said fo- .30 ready for attachment and connection to a raminous elements so asf to lock said body u faucet. I against movement Vboth attop and bottom, .In operation, the water issuing. from the the top holding member being integral with faucet is softened in its passage through the the chamber casing and the bottom member zeolite bed and softened water isidischarged `being .a spider screwed to the chamber casthrough outlet spout 15. When the softening and su porting the bottom foraminous l .ing 4power of the z'eolite-becomes lexhausted element, a ttom closure member for said in use, the zeolite is regenerated by removchamber attached `to the spider and having ing plugs 14 and 22 and pouring -salt solulaterally extending means'for connecting the tion through the zeolite bed, thewater faucet chamberat apoint below said locked b ody 40 being turned off during regeneration. The `to the water-faucet, outlet means extending softener may be allowed to stand :for some laterally downward from the chamber at a ltime after pouring in the 'salt solution, the point above said locked body andi-.wo C105- plugs are replaced and the `remaining salt able `openings in the `chamber respectively solution is then rinsed out by opening the above and below saidlockedbody and adaptfaucet for a-few moments and allowing the ed respectively to introduce and discharge water from the faucet. to 'pass through the regenerating solution.

softener. Ordinarily, with a zeolite'bed Vfor 2.Ina portable apparatusforpassing waexample about 3 inches in diameter by 4 .to ter to., be softened or otherwise purified 5 inches deep, about 4 tablespoons of salt disthrough a bed of material, said apparatus besolved in a quart of water suffice for regeningadapted :for attachment toa water` fauu eration with a quartofwaterfor rinsing. cet, a cast' metal container for the water In Fig. 3 is shown means .which may be `treating bed, two water distributing screens used for lreplacing or renewing the zeolite held in vthe container at bottom and top of' bed in the softener.` Such means comprise said bed, a spider screwed into the' container l :5,5 a metallic cartridge 36 of circular cross secand adapted toi support the bottom screen, l

tion, fitting closely in 4the cylindrical casing a bottom vclosure member enclosing `a space 1. The cartridgemay7 be made of thin sheet .below the bed, said member being detach#l inetalwith its top formed of a screen 6a ,ably connected to the spider so as tobeheld and its bottom of a screen 7a. lThese screens .in water tight engagement withthe edges of areadvantageously held by cartridge caps;A the container, liquid `inlet means laterally 6b and 7 b soldered to the cartridge, one of extending' from said closure member and the `caps being soldered after the cartrid adapted for direct connection with the-water has been packed full of granular zeolite.- n faucet. a too chamber with a casing cast inreplacing the zeolite bed in chamber 2 the xtegrally withthe container and having transcartridge is inserted witha gasket 3 7 inter- 'verseribsto holdtbltop screen against diso placement and liquid outlet means extending laterally downward from the top chamber casing. y

3 In a faucet water softener in which water from the faucet-is passed through a locked body of granular water softening material held in a container between two foraminous water distributing elements supported respectively by a top holding member integral with the container casing and by a de-` tachable spider threaded into the container casing at the bottom, means for replacing and renewing said body of which comprises a thin walled cartridge tightly packed withsaid granular material and having a foraminous top and a foraminous bottom forming integral parts of the cartridge, said cartridge fitting closely into the' container casing and be' g held against the top holding member by the threaded spider at the bottom, and means interposed between the cartridge and the container casing `closure member' for ",-vhavxng communication -above the top of said cartridge andthe other ifdef said and the cham r to prevent bypassing of the water flow around -the cartridge.

4. A portable water treating apparatus adapted for attachment and connection to a water faucet and comprising a water treatl mentI chamber, a removable thin walled cartridge packed tightly with granular water treating material and fitting closely into the chamber, said cartridge having an integral foraminous top and an integral foramin'ous bottom, two spider members holding said car- Y.

tridge at the foraminous top and bottom, one of said spider the chamber casing and the other being threaded into the casing so as to hold the cartridge against the first spider member, a gasket inte d between the ca-rtrid e 'casing andheld by t e revent bypassing of the e cartrid e, a removable the cham r attached to the threadedy spider, laterally extending means for assing water into said chamber and Ilateral y extending means for assing water out of said chamber, one of sai -means with said chamber threaded spider to water flow around tmeans having communication with said chamberbelow the bottom of said cartridge.

5. N portable water treating apparatus` adapted for attachment to a water faucet and comprising a chamber containing a bed of granular water treating material, two foraminous distributing elements holding said bed at top and bottom, two spider members holding said foraminous elements so as to lock said bed against movement both attop and bottom, one of said spider members being'integral with the-chamber casing and the other being screwed to the casing and supporting its respective foraminous element, a

05 closure member for said chamber attachedv granular material members being integral with ,l

laterally extending closable openings inv 

